The EU will schedule further talks on the controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear programme despite discussions breaking up today without agreement.
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said talks today yesterday were "progressing" and had paved the way for meetings.
"We still have some issues that have not been closed," Mr Solana said, adding that there would likely be renewed contact with the Iranians by the middle of next week.
Mr Solana's comments hint that prospects of a resolution are fading, a day after the US said time was running out for a deal.
But Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani said seven hours of talks over the last two days in Berlin had brought "some possible conclusions".
"We hope to be able to embark on the main negotiations as soon as possible," he said, referring to the incentives package.
In June, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China offered Tehran a package of economic and political incentives if it suspended uranium enrichment.
Western countries believe the programme is aimed at developing nuclear weapons but Iran insists the work is for energy production.
Iran has been accused of hiding its enrichment programme from UN inspectors for 18 years.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also met Mr Larijani and said earlier he hoped the threatened UN Security Council action could be avoided.
"I expect we will see some movement in this conflict that will enable us to avoid escalating it by getting the Security Council involved," Mr Steinmeier said
If Iran does not suspend enrichment, the United States and the "EU3" have agreed to ask the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic. China and Russia oppose sanctions and would prefer to reopen negotiations with Iran.